Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Focus Features is in final talks to to prebuy U.S. rights to Harmony Korine's The Trap, a revenge tale set against the backdrop of the Miami music scene starring Idris Elba as a gangster rap artist and Benicio Del Toro as his best friend who took the fall for a robbery the duo committed years earlier.

Elba is attached to replace Jamie Foxx, with Al Pacino, Robert Pattinson and James Franco also in final talks to join the cast (Del Toro was announced last year).

Korine, who is repped by CAA, has been a hot commodity since the indie hit Spring Breakers, also starring Franco. Grisbi's John Lesher, producer of the Oscar-winning Birdman, is producing Korine's latest outing alongside Charles-Marie Anthonioz at Iconoclast and Marc Schmidheiny at DCM Film.

Focus declined comment but sources say negotiations are at an advanced stage. CAA is arranging financing and representing domestic rights.

In more good news for The Trap, Lionsgate is handling the movie internationally and will likely shop the project to foreign buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

In The Trap, written by Korine, Rico is at the top of his career and about to enjoy a triumphant night at the Grammy Awards when Slim (Del Toro) is released from prison after 14 years. Slim is determined to exact revenge after learning that Rico not only achieved fame and fortune but also married his girlfriend and raised Slim's son as his own.

Slim's plot includes recruiting a crew of Uzi-wielding surfers led by Max (Pattinson), as well as enlisting the help of Rico's cocaine-happy manager (Franco). Pacino plays Slim's parole officer.

Elba, who is represented by WME, is next in theaters with Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1). He also stars in African war drama Beasts of No Nation, which was recently acquired by Netflix and is slated to debut on the streaming service and in select theaters this fall timed to awards season.

Pacino is repped by UTA and manager Rick Nicita. Pattinson is repped by WME and 3 Arts Entertainment; Franco by CAA and Untitled Entertainment.

Focus is in negotiations to acquire U.S. rights to the film, which also stars Benicio Del Toro
Idris Elba will replace Jamie Foxx alongside Benicio Del Toro in Harmony Korine’s “The Trap,” which will co-star Robert Pattinson, James Franco and Al Pacino. Focus Features is in negotiations to acquire U.S. rights to the film, an individual with knowledge of the pending deal has told TheWrap.

A representative for Focus declined to comment.

Set against the backdrop of the Miami music scene, “The Trap” finds Del Toro playing an ex-con out for revenge against a gangster rapper and former friend (Elba) who let him take the fall for a robbery they committed 14 years earlier.

Franco will play Elba’s drug-addled manager, while Pacino will play Del Toro’s parole officer. Pattinson will play a surfer who helps Del Toro exact revenge.

John Lesher (“Birdman”) will produce via his Le Grisbi banner along with Iconoclast’s Charles-Marie Anthonioz and DCM Film’s Marc Schmidheiny.
Korine and Franco previously collaborated on “Spring Breakers.” Pattinson was a fan of that film and expressed interest in working with Korine on his next project.